There is an excellent piece on the front page of this weeks issue of Billboard magazine about how new instrumental releases in straightahead jazz are becoming increasingly rare..and apparently you have to go to #15 on the chart to find the first one. It is all vocals, mostly of standards r other extremely familiar songs, and reissues. Pretty in depth..about 5 columns long. The reason this is relevant to CJazz fans is that they are on the same road CJazz/Smooth Jazz is on..just a little further ahead. The same trends that caused labels to abandon original instrumental music by straightahead artists are also in effect with contemporary/smooth jazz. Worth a trip to Borders or Barnes and Noble to read..

[This message has been edited by Shannon West (edited April 23, 2002).]